Corner door closer



April 19, 1960 s. F. ROLPH 2,932,345

CORNER DOOR CLOSER Filed Jan. 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l T i a -1- WMQQ/W April 19, 1960 Filed Jan. 15, 1957 S- F. ROLPH CORNER DOOR CLOSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Jar'rua/ CURNER DOOR CLOSER Samuel F. Ralph, Berrien Springs, Mich., assignor to The Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company, Stamford, Guam, a corporation of Connecticut Application January 15, 1957, Serial No. 634,326

6 Claims. (Cl. 16-49) This invention relates to a door closer, and more particularly a door closer adapted for use on modern decorative doors. A long standing problem is to obtain an installation that will be effective and yet will not detract from the appearance of the door assembly. Those skilled in the art appreciate fully that much time and effort has been devoted during the last quarter of a century in an attempt to develop a door closer that may be installed Without difficulty, and which when installed will operate efficiently and effectively, while presenting an excellent appearance. Door closers of various characteristics have been developed for the purpose, some being adapted for mounting within a door, and some for mounting on the door jamb. However, so far as I know, no door closer of this type has been entirely successful. Thus, While concealed door closers are quite effective from an appearance viewpoint, their construction is generally so very cramped, due to lack of space, that considerable pressures are developed in the operation of the closer, both in the checking mechanism and the spring closing mechaism, whereby to create many design problems. Further, closers of the particular class are diflicult to apply between a door and a door frame and require special door constructions. I believe that the concept of my invention, while extremely simple, forms a distinct and valuable departure from the prior art and contributes results that are quite effective. Thus, as a feature of my invention, I mount my door closer in the corner of the door frame. Thereby, the door closer actually appears to be a part of the door frame and is most unobtrusive. As a further feature of my invention the door closer arm may be mounted at the top of the door closer in a relatively concealed position, while yet functioning effectively be- 1 tween the top of the door and the door closer.

As a more palticular feature of my invention, the door closer is adapted to be secured in the corner of the door frame both to the bottom surface of the lintel and to one of the jambs so that it is effectively fixed in operating position. Then, by cutting away a part of the door closer casing at one side thereof to present a space between the door lintel and the casing, I provide for the mounting of the operating arm between the door closer and the door.

As a still further feature of this part of the invention, I provide a novel rail and slide construction to be secured to the top of the door, making possible the utilization of a single arm extending between the door and the door closer While yet effectively contributing opening and closing action,

I have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of my invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of my invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other struc- Sttes Patent tures for carrying out the several purposes of my invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention, in order to prevent the appropriation of my invention by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a sectional plan view showing my novel door closer installed on a door jamb and door.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig, 3 is a section on the line 3--3 in Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, I show my novel door closer installed on a door frame to which a door D is pivoted through a hinge H. I indicate the casing of my novel closer by the numeral 10, that casing being equipped with a vertical shaft 11 upon which an angular closer arm 12 is integrally secured. The details of the mechanism within the closer casing 10 are not important to an understanding of my invention, but for the purposes of disclosure I show in Fig. 3 a piston 13 that slides in casing 10, and that is formed with a rack 14 meshed with a pinion 15 on shaft 11. A coil spring 16 presses against piston 13, thus acting through the piston and shaft to rotate the arm 12 in a door closing direction. Those skilled in the art will understand that piston 13 will act against fluid in the casing 10, with the fluid controlled by valves whereby to check the closing movement.

In the extremely novel closer construction that I have now conceived, the casing 10 has an end portion 17 that I form with a surface 18 adapted to fit against the door jarnb J near the door hinge H, with that surface 18 extending to the bottom surface 19 on the lintel L as is well shown in Fig. 3. The casing 10 also has an opposed end portion 20 that i adapted to fit against the bottom lintel surface 19. In the construction that I show in the drawings, the casing end portions 17, 2d are formed separately and then secured to the body of casing 19, those portions then serving to close the ends of the casing. However, the particular assembly of the end portions is not important to an understanding of my invention, and it is conceivable that they may be formed integrally on casing 10. I utilize the end portions 17, 2*!) for mounting the closer, those portions preferably having flanges with openings to accept mounting screws 21 that will enter into parts of the jamb J and lintel L, Figs. 2 and 3.

I shall now call attention to the fact that I form the top of the closer casing 10 with a longitudinal surface 22, Figs. 1 and 2. It is important to realize that the surface 22 extends continuously along the top of casing 10, including the casing end portions 17, 20, so that the casing can lie in contact with the bottom surface 19 on the lintel. Thus, the top surface 22, together with the end surface 18, enables the closer casing 10 actually to fit in the corner of the door frame.

While I construct the closer casing 10 with the continuous top surface 22, I also form the top of the casing with a depressed portion 23. That depressed top portion 23 extends to that side of casing 10 that is toward the door D, as best shown in Fig. l, and exposes the up per end of the closer shaft 11 between the lintel and casing, Fig. 3. Further, the depressed portion 23 extends longitudinally for a considerable distance, thus providing a space in which the closer arm 12 will move as the arm rotates with the shaft 11.

To enable me to utilize the single closer arm 12, I mount on the top of the door a longitudinal guide member 24, Figs. 1 and 2, that I prefer to make in the form of a channel having opposed flanges 25. On the outer end of closer arm 12 I pivot a slider 26 that slides on the flanges 25. It will be appreciated that the slider 26 will move longitudinally on channel 24 as the closer arm 12 asses-:46

rotates between positions corresponding to the open and closed positions of the door, with the arm acting through slider 26 to control the door movement.

Ibelieve that the operation and the very considerable advantagesof my novel door closer will now be understood. Through my extremely novel concept, I am able to mount the door closer inthe corner of a door frame, with the closer so arranged that it appears actually to be a part of the frame. I am able further to utilize merely a single arm between the closer and the door. Despite the fact that my closer is extremely inconspicuous, I am able nevertheless to utilize closer mechanism that is very effective because it is designed without having to consider severe space limitations. This in itself is a very considerable contribution over the concealed door closers of the prior art. Moreover, my novel door closer does not require special door or frame constructions. I believe, therefore, that thoseskilled in the art will fully appreciate the value of my invention.

' I now claim:

1. A door closer of the class described comprising a closer casing adapted to fit one of the upper corners of a door frame and having an end surface fitting against one side of the door jamb and extending to the bottom surface of the frame lintel at the said corner, said casing having a top surface fitting against the bottom surface of the frame lintel, a piston in said closer casing, a vertical shaft in-said closer casing, means whereby said shaft and piston are connected for movement together, the top surface of said casinghaving a depressed portion into which the'e'nd of said shaft extends a distance less than the depth of said depressed portion whereby the upper end of said shaft is exposed between the lintel and the casing, means securing the oasingin the said corner of the door frame, and an arm secured at one end to said shaft for rotation therewith, said depressed top surface portion extending inwardly from one side of the casing to form a space in which said arm moves. 7

2. A door closer of the class described comprising a closer casing adapted to fit one of the upper corners of a door frame and having an end surface fitting against one side of the door jamb and extending to the bottom surface of the frame lintel at the said corner, said casing having a top surface fitting against the bottom surface of the door frame lintel, a piston in said closer casing, a vertical shaft in said closer casing, means whereby said shaft and'piston are connected for movement together, the top surface of said casing having a depressed portion into which the end of said shaft extends a distance less than the'depth of said depressed portion whereby the upper end of said shaft is exposed between the lintel and the casing, means securing the casing in the said corner of the door frame, an arm secured at one end to said shaft for rotationtherewith,'said'depressed top surface portion extendinginwardly' from one side of thecasing to form a'space in which said/arm moves, a sliding member at the top of the'door that is mounted on said jamb, and means pivoting the other end of said arm on said sliding member.

3. 'A door closer of the class described comprising a closer-casing adapted to fit one of the upper corners of a door frame and having an end surface fitting against one side of the door jamb and an upper surface fitting against the bottomsurface of the door frame lintel, a piston in said'closer casing, 21 vertical shaft in said closer casing, means whereby'said shaft and piston are connectedfor movement together, the, top surface of said casing havinga depressed portion into which the end ofsaid shaftex- I tween the lintel and the top of the casing, means securing the casing in the said corner of the door frame, an arm secured at one end to said shaft for rotation therewith, said depressed top surface portion extending inwardly from one side of the casing to form a space in which said arm moves, a slidin member at the top of the door that is mounted on said jamb, and means pivoting the other end of said arm on said sliding member.

4. A door closer of the class described comprising a v,

surface of said casing having. a depressed portion into' which the upperend of said shaft extends whereby the upper end of said shaft is exposed between the lintel and the top of the casing, a portion of said top surface extending between the opposed ends of the casing and lying incontact with the lintel behind said depressed surface portion, means securing the casing in the said corner of the door frame, a slide mounted for linear movement on the door on said frame, and an arm pivoted at one end to said slide and secured at its other end to said shaft for V rotation therewith.

5. A door closer of the class described comprising a casing "adapted to fit one of the upper corners of a door frame and having an end surface fitting against one of the door jambs and an upper surface fitting against the bottom surface of the frame lintel, a piston in said casing, a vertical shaft in said closer casing, means whereby said shaft and piston are connected for movement together, the top surface of said casing having a depressed portion into which the upper end' of said shaft extends whereby the upper end of said shaft is exposed between the lintel V and the top of the casing, said depressed surface portion of the casing extending inwardly from one side of the casing, means securing the casing in the said corner of the door frame, a metal channel carried at the top of the door that is mounted on said frame, a sliding member mounted for sliding on said channel, and an arm pivoted at one end to said sliding member and at its other end to said shaft for rotation therewith while moving between the lintel and said depressed surface portion at said side of the casing. V

6 A dooncloser of the class described comprising a casing adapted to one of the upper corners of a'door' frame, means for mounting said casing in said upper corner, the top surface of said casing being formed with a depressed portiom a vertical shaft mounted forrotation in said closer casing and having an'endextending 'from References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,895,895

Norton Jan. 31, 1933 1,899,716 Norton Feb. 28, 1933 2,024,472 Norton Dec. 17, 1935 2,657,892 Hoernel Nov. 3, 1953 

